Potato-digger



No. 617,992. Y Patented lan.l7,'l899.

. B. B. PATTERSN.

PUTATU BIGGER.

(Application led Feb. 26,`1898.\ (Nn Model.) 3'Sheets-Sheet i.

-A fron/v5 Ys.

No. 6|7,992. l Patented lan. I7, |899. R. B. PATTERSON.

PUTATO BIGGER.

(Application led Feb. 28, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W/T/VESSES W By A TTORNEYS.

No. 617,992 Patented Jan. I7, |899. R. B. PATTERSON.

POTATU BIGGER.

(Application led Feb. 26, 1895,) (N'o Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

l Il H Il H Il ll A'rnNT Prien ROBERT BURNSIDE PATTERSON, OF LUDINGTON,MICHIGAN.

POTATO-DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,992, dated January' 1'7, 1899-.

Application filed February 26, 1898. Serial No. 671,743. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT BURNsIDE PAT- TERSON, of Ludington, in thecounty of Mason and State of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Potato-Diggers, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a potato-digger which will notonly dig the potatoes, but sort vthem and deliver them to crates orother receptacles provided to receive them.

A further object of the invention is to construct a potato-digger whichwill operate satisfactorily in any character of good potato soil andwhich will operate in a manner to do the least possible damage to thepotatoes being dug, but which will be simple, durable, and economic andhave but few wearing-surfaces exposed to drifting sands and wherein nogearing` or shakers common to most machines of this character and liableto great wear and friction are employed.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the machine thatthe driver may be seated at the rear and will have perfect control ofthe machine, being able to raise or lower the digging-fork whenevernecessary.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference in dicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a plan view ofthe machine. Fig. 4t is a section through the front portion of theframe, showing the main portion of the machine in front elevation. Fig.5 is a section through the axle close to one of the supporting-wheelsand a section through one of the receptacles for potatoes, illustratingthe major portion of the machine in side elevation and the applicationthereto of a conveyer; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of that portion of themachine at which the conveyer is located.

A represents the frame of the machine, which may be of any desiredcharacter and preferably consists of two side bars connected at the rearand at the front of the machine. A platformO is constructed on orsuspended from the frame at the front and a second platform 11 is laidat the rear, the drivers seat 12 being at the rear of the machine, sothat all operative parts of the machine are within the vision of thedriver. The frame lis provided with attached bearings 13,where by it issuspended from an axle 14, and the said axle has a supporting-wheel 14.attached to each of its ends outside of the said frame, as shown best inFigs. 3 and 4..

. At or near the central portion of the side bars of the frame hangers15 are projected downward to a point near the ground, the said hangersbeing adapted to sustain journals of arock-shaft 16, a crank-arm 17whereof is preferably centrally located and is also preferably somewhatrectangularin cross-section. Rods 18 are passed through the crankarm 17,being held removably and adj ustably in engagement with said shaft byset-screws 19 or their equivalents. The said rods 18, which arepreferably sharpened at their forward ends, in connection with thecrank-arm 17, constitute the digging-fork of the machine when themachine is used in loose and sandy soil. Vhen, however, the soil is of adifferent character, a frame is used in connect-ion with the rods ortines 1S, the said frame consisting of a beveled lower horizontal member2O and upwardly and preferably outwardly flaring side members 2 l, thesaid side members being provided at their rear ends with sleeves 22,receiving the outermost tines 1Sa of the fork, which outermost tines181L :are preferably rectangular in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 1,set-screws 23 being employed to secure the frame to the said outer tines18, and the lower ends of the tines of the fork, when the frame isemployed,are made to enter openings 24, made in the lower or diggingsection of the frame,as illustrated in Fig. 2. A lever 25 is attached tothe rock-shaft 16, preferably at the right-hand end of the machine, thesaid lever extending upward within convenient reach of the driver, andthrough the medium of the said lever 25 the shaft 16 may be rocked toraise the lower end of the digging-fork as occasion may demand.

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An assorting-cylinder B is mounted upon the axle 14 and turns with thesaid axle. The assorting-cylinder consists of a ring 26, forming one endand located at the left-hand end of the machine,and a disk 27,constituting the other end and located at the right-hand side of themachine, the disk 27 being secured by set-screws and an attached sleeve28 to the shaft 14, or the attachment may be made in any other suitablemanner. The two parts 26 and 27, which constitute the heads of theasserting-cylinders, are connected by crossbars 29, placed at suitableintervals apart, as shown in Fig. 2. Preferably the ring 26, the disk27, the sleeve 2S, and the cross-bars 29 are all one casting.

A series of fingers 30 is secured to each of the cross-bars 29. Thesefingers may be of the samelength or maybe graduated in length from thecenter in direction of the ends, as shown in Fig. 4, the end fingersbeing more curved than the center fingers. All of the fingers arecurved, and the curvature is such that when the fingers are at the rearof the cylinder they extend upward and rearward, each series of fingersforming a long pocket for the reception of potatoes. Bands 3l arelocated between the heads :of the assortingcylinder, the bands passingbetween the fingers 30 on the said cross-bars 29. By this constructionthe cylinder is provided with openings through which small potatoes mayfall, and these small potatoes are received by a slotted chute 32. Thehead or higher end of the chute 32 is vcarried near to the closed head27 of the cylinder, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and is suspended at saidraised end from the shaft 14- by means of a strap 33. The chute extendsout through the open end of the cylinder, and the chute at its lower endis provided with arms 34, which are bolted or otherwise secured to theframe. The potatoes received by the chute 32 are delivered into areceptacle 35, supported by the frame at its left-hand side, the saidreceptacle being preferably given a downward inclination at its frontportion, and the receptacle is provided at its rear end preferably witha gate capable of being operated by the driver in order that thepotatoes may be delivered from said receptacle when desired. This gatebeing of ordinaryconstruction has not been illustrated.

A guard C is formed at the rear of the machine. 'lhis guard consists ofa series of downwardly and forwardly curved bars 3G, their concavedfaces being toward the front. The upper ends of these guard-fingers arebolted or otherwise secured to a concaved surface 37 of a cross-bar 3S,extending from side to side of the machine-frame at the rear of theassorting-cylinder, or the said guard bars or fingers may be attacheddirectly to the platform ll. The distance between the guard fingers orbars and the asserting-cylinder and the relation of the said bars orfingers to the asserting-cylinder are such that the guard fingers orbars will not interfere with the upward movement of the carrying-lingers30 on the asserting-cylinder, but the carrying-fin gers on theasserting-cylinder will pass so close -to the guard-lingers 36 as toprevent any potatoes escaping between the two sets of fingers. J

The end carrying-fingers 30 may be and preferably are of less lengththan the central carrying-fingers, and the guard C is correspondinglycurved. The guard-rods at their lower ends are preferably connected by abar 39, as shown in Fig. 2, and the guard is held in proper relation tothe digging-fork by. means of hooks 40 or their equivalents, which areconnected at the end of the connectingbar 39 of the guard and arecarried over the rock-shaft 1G.

In the operation of the machine as it is drawn forward the digging-forkwill turn up the potatoes from the soil. The potatoes will be carriedrearward over the tines of the fork and will be taken up by thecarrying-fingers 30 of the assorting-cylinder as said cylinder revolves.The carrying-fingers will carry both the large and the small potatoesupward, assisted by the guard C, the pocket formed by the set ofcarrying-lingers serving to hold the potatoes after the said set oflingers has passed from the guard C. When the carrying-fingers of a sethave reached a point at the upper portion of the cylinder, the potatoescarried thereby will be spilled upon the cylinder and the smallpotatoes, as stated,will drop through the openings in the cylinder tothe chute 32, where the earth will escape and the small potatoes beconveyed to the receptacle 35, while the larger potatoes will slide downthe bands at the front of the assortingcylinder and strike the'convexedfaces of the next set of carrying-fingers below their point of dischargeand will be directed by these ngers into the crate 4l, a basket, orother receptacle placed upon the front platform lO in position toreceive them.

It is evident that the machine is exceedingly simple, durable, andeconomic, that it is within the entire control of the driver, and thateaeh and every part of the machine is conveniently within the range ofvision of said driver; furthermore, that the fork for digging thepotatoes may be regulated as the character of the soil may demand bybeing moved forward on the frame and having extra sets of guard-rods 36to reach the rock-shaft.

Instead ofw conveying `the smaller potatoes directly to the receptacle35 at the rear bottom portion of the frame of the machine the potatoesmay be and preferably are conveyed to a removable receptacle 42, whichis supported upon the frame of the machine at the rear, adjacent to thedrivers seat. lVhen the form of receptacle 42 is employed, the open endof the assorting-cylinder B is provided with an attached sprocket-wheel43, or teeth are formed thereon to produce a sprocketwheel, while asprocket-pinion 44 is mounted IOO IOS

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to revolve on the side of the drivers seat or on a support provided forit atthe rear of the machine. The cohveyer-chain 45 is passed over thesprocket-wheel 43 on the assortingcylinder and over the sprocket-pinion44, the said conveyer-chain being provided with transverse plates 4G onits outer face. The small potatoes are delivered by the slotted chute 32into a pocket 47, located at the delivery end of said chute and carriedby the frame of the machine, as-shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This pocket isprovided with an extension in the shape of a chute 4S, which is carriedupwardly and rearwardly into the receptacle 42. The conveyer-chain 45passes Vthrough the pocket 47, the bottom whereof is cylindrical, andthrough the chute 4S or extension of the pocket. Therefore the smallpotatoes are carried up in the chute 4S by the plates of theconveyer-belt and dropped into the receptacle 42.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. In a potato-digger, an assorting-cylinder mounted torevolve and provided with peripheral pockets adapted to receivepotatoes, and with peripheral openings through which small potatoes maypass to the interior of the assorting-cylinder, and a receptacle towhich the potatoes that pass through the peripheral openings in thecylinder are conducted, for the purpose speciied.

2. In a potato-digger, an assorting-cylinder provided with peripheralpockets adapted to receive and take up potatoes, and with peripheralopenings through which small potatoes may pass, and a chute locatedwithin the said cylinder, adapted to receive the potatoes that dropthrough the peripheral openings in the cylinder, for the purpose setforth.

3. In a potato-digger, an asserting-cylinder,

said cylinder being provided with a closed and with an open head, thesaid cylinder being further provided with peripheral openings and seriesof curved fingers arranged to form transverse pockets, the fingers beinglocated opposite the openings in the periphery of the cylinder, andmeans for rotating the said cylinder, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a potato-digger, an assorting-cylinder, said cylinder beingprovided with a closed and with an open head, the said cylinder beingfurther provided with peripheral openings and series of curved fingersarranged to form transverse pockets, the fingers being located oppositethe openings in the periphery of the cylinder, means for rotating saidcylinder, anda fixed inclined chute suspended within the said cylinder,the lower end of the said chute extending beyond the open head ot thecylinder, for the purpose specified.

5. In a potato-digger, the combination,with a shaft provided with acrank-arm, and means for rocking the shaft, of a digging-fork consistingof tines secured in the crank-arm of the rock-shaft, and a framecomprising alower digging member and side members, the said frame beingremovably attached to the said fork, the lower ends ofthe tines of thefork entering the digging member of the said frame, for the purposespeciied. v

6. In a potato-digger, the combination,with an assorting-cylindermounted to revolve, the said cylinder having peripheral pockets extending outward from the periphery of the cylinder and peripheral openingsthrough which small potatoes may pass to the interior of the cylinder,and a receptacle to which the ,potatoes that pass through the peripheralopenings are conducted, of a digging-fork located at the front of thelower portion of said cylinder, and an apertured guard located at therear of the bottom portion of said cylinder, and in communication withthe said fork, for the purpose specilied.

'7. In a potato-digger, the combination,with an axle, supporting-wheelssecured to the said axle, aframe suspended from the axle, a rockshaftcarried by the frame, and a digging-fork carried by the said rock-shaft,of an assortingcylinder attached to the said axle, comprising a closedand an open head, cross-bars connect- 'ing the said heads, curvedcarrying-fingers arranged in transverse series, attached to the saidcross-bars, and bands carried by the cross-bars and passed between thecarryinglingers, as and for the purpose specied.

8. In apotato-digger, the combination,with an axle, supporting-'wheelssecured to the said axle, a frame supported from the axle, a rockshaftcarried by the frame, and a diggingfork carried by the said rock-shaft,of an assorting-cylinder attached to the said axle, comprising a closedand an open head, crossbars connecting the said heads, curvedcarrying-iingers arranged in transverse series and attached to the saidcross-bars, and bands carried by the cross-bars and passed between thecarrying-fingers, a slotted chute secured to the said frame, extendingin an inclined position through the open end of the cylinder` from itsclosed end, and a guard at the rear of the said cylinder, the said guardextending to the rear portion of the said diggingfork, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

9. In a potato-digger, the combination,with an axle, supporting-wheelssecured to the said axle, a frame supported from the axle, a rockshaftcarried by the frame, and a digging-fork carried by the said rock-shaft,of an assorting-cylinder attached to the said axle, comprising an openanda closed head, cross-bars connecting said heads, curvedcarrying-tingers arranged in transverse series and attached to thecross-bars, and bands carried by the cross-bars and passed between thecarrying-lingers, a slotted chute secured to the said frame, extendingin an inclined position through the open end of the cylinder from itsclosed end, a guard at the rear of said cylinder, a receptacle locatedat the front and a receptacle at the rear of the cylinder, a pocketformed at the delivery end of the said chute,

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provided With a trough extending into the rear receptacle, aeonveyenehain driven by the Cylinder and arranged to pass through thesaid pocket and the said trough, and means for supporting the saideonveyer-ehain, substantially as described.

l0. In a potatodigger,the combination with a Wheel-supported frame, of adigging-fork, an assorting cylinder mounted to revolve and provided withperipheral fingers forming pockets adapted to receive potatoes, areceptacle carried by the frame and into which the larger potatoes aredelivered, the said assorting-cylinder being provided with peripheralopenings through which small potatoes may 15 der, and a receptacle towhich the small potazo toes are con veyed, substantially as described.

ROBERT BURNSIDE PATTERSON.

lVitnesses OHAs. MODONALD, WM. SHAW.

